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August 1, 2017

Pakistan Navy Commissions Third Azmat-class Fast Attack Craft

Pakistan has commissioned its third Azmat-class fast attack craft (FAC), PNS Himmat, which will join the Naval service PNS Azmat and PNS Dehshat acquired from China Shipbuilding and Offshore Company (CSOC) as part of an order for four FACs in 2010.
The PNS Himmat has an indigenously built missiles system. The imagery of the PNS Himmat show that it has dual triple missile launcher identical to the one planned for the fourth FAC that entered production in March 2017, Quwa reported Monday.

The FAC was commissioned last Friday at Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works (KSEW). The 560-ton FAC is 63 m in length with a maximum speed of 30knots. It has a forward-mounted twin 25-mm cannon of the Azmat and Dehshat PNS in favour of new remote-controlled stabilized turret possibly from Turkish Aselsan.

The PNS Azmat and PNS Dehshat are armed with dual quad-cell C-802 anti-ship missile (AShM) launchers. It is manned by a crew of 15.

“The transfer-of-technology in shipbuilding is a necessary component of the Navy’s modernization efforts. It is also a requisite element for supporting Pakistan’s defence exports,” the Pakistan Navy’s Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Zakaullah was quoted as saying by the news portal.